charles kemble actor (5 resultados)

Stipple, Simpkin & Marshall, 1820, trimmed,

Manby's entry in the Oxford DNB states that 'His interests ranged beyond the engineering world, and for many years he was involved in the management of the Adelphi and Haymarket theatres.' Manuscript copy letter. 2pp, 4to. Thirty-three lines of neat text. Addressed to 'Frederick Hodgson Esqre. M.P.' Ends: 'I am Dear Sir / Your very faithfully / Charles Manby'.On first leaf of bifolium. Reverse of second leaf docketted: 'Copy C Manby to F Hodgson Esqr / Scarbro - Novr 8. 1841' (the letter does not contain any reference to Scarborough). In fair condition, creased and lightly aged. Folded once. He has had Hodgson's 'Kind Letter to Yates' in his possession for five days, and has 'gone through all the proposed arrangement [sic] with Yates [i.e. the actor Frederick Henry Yates (1797-1842), manager of the Adelphi] and he clearly understand [sic] it'. He discusses the arrangement with regard to the paying of insurance, asking Hodgson to 'point out to me the mode which will give you the least trouble' and asking if a 'formal instrument expressive of your kind intentions' is necessary. He continues (with regard to the Adelphi and Haymarket theatres), 'You will be pleased to hear that the Houses are vey good in spite of the bad weather, and that the "Maid of Honour" [by Massinger, performing at the Adelphi with Yates and his wife in the leading roles] appears to increase in its power of attraction'. The letter ends: 'We are all fervently hoping that Miss Kemble may prove as attractive as the Press asserts, because the overflow (when there is any) comes to the Adelphi, but there is reason to fear that, she is not so really great as we hoped - Her Voice is not naturally a fine one, but is more the result of very good tuition -'.

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of previous mounting to the reverse of the last leaf. Horne writes that he is enclosing a copy of his play 'Gregory VII' for 'Mr Chas Kemble'. 'I have not written his name in it, because as you were so kind as to interest yourself in the matter, I thought I would leave it in your hands so you may give it him; or say you asked me for a copy for the purpose, or say nothing - or anything. Isn't this a fine mode of expressing my confidence in your judgment? - good taste, &c' In a postscript he states that he has sent his 'Cabinet Measures [a comedy, not performed or published] to Mr. Bartley to read, at his request.' He has done so 'only with a view to his seeing how I can write for a given company'. According to the Oxford DNB Horne had already 'besieged the actor-manager William Macready' about two other plays, and like them 'Gregory VII' was not staged.

The text is on one side of a 13 x 16 cm piece of laid watermarked paper. The signature 'J. Kemble' is at bottom left, in slightly-darker ink than the fifteen lines of text. Lightly aged and with short closed tears at edges of two folds. Slight traces of brown-paper mount at top corners on reverse, which carries a capable ink drawing of 'the Caducean Trident' mentioned in the text: a dragon with two sets of wings, body stiff as a rod, encircled by two snakes. The text, which has a few deletions and interpolations indicating original composition, may refer to a prop required for a dramatic production by Kemble. It reads: 'Albion, having accepted from his cousin Mercury, God of Commerce, his original Caduceus, and, from his father, Neptune, his original Trident, requested of Vulcan to new mould them, making the two into one badge of sovereign authority, symbolical of commercial supremacy and marine dominion. In compliance with this request, Vulcan produced the Caducean Trident. The Dragon is the symbol of a military marine; vigilant, swift, terrible and potent; and the Serpents are the types of the sagacity, address and prudence of Commerce, which is the source and foundation of naval power; and therefore this symbolical sceptre of Albion is in a tridental form, well at [sic] its lower as well as its upper extremity.'.

Two pages (one leaf),18.5 x 14cms, left edge showing signs of being tipped on to something, text mainly clear and apparently complete, as follows: " Mr Charles Kemble begs to return the best Thanks of the Committee of Management to Mr Thelwall for the kind offer of the occasional Address, which they would gladly have had receited if they were not convinced by experience, of the total want of attraction in similar productions - They think, however, it might be of great service to the cause which it advocates, were it to be inserted previously to the Benefit in the daily Papers as powerful stimulants are necessary to induce the public to attend the Theatre on this occasion - the receipts of Drury Lane and the Lyceum upon the nights 'devoted' to the irish peasantry [sic], sufficiently testify this. The Committee fully appreciate the motives of Mr Thelwall, and for this, as well as for the disinterested offer of his future services are much indebted to him." Note: a. [Thelwall] (1764 1834) was a radical British orator, writer, political reformer, journalist, poet, elocutionist and speech therapist who pub;lished in 17965 "on the Political Prostitution of the Public Theatres".